Crane



Jan. 12, 1932. P. A. H. MossAY CRANE Filed Aug. 15, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet @www Jan. 12, 1932. P. A. H. MossAY 5 1,840,522

CRANE Filed Aug. l5, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 J a 0 x2),

lNvEN-roR ORNE Patented Jen. 12, 1932 iii' STATES NT O-'FFECE Peur. ALPHoii-sn HUBERT LMossAY, or rswonknNeLA-n, AssreoR "To 'I'.Jioss'AY 2a COMPANY, Limmen, or LONDON, ENGLAND, A 'Conroe-Arron 'CRANE Application ined August 15,1928. serial lNflfzaegeta My invention relates to cranes; and its general object is to provide a new and improved crane, i. e., a light mobile crane or machine' which may be readilymoved from Aplace *F to place and otherwise controlled andma'nipulated, all by hand.

To the above and other ends which will subsequently appear, the invention consists in the features of construction, combinations G of devices and arrangements of parts hereinafter described and particularly pointed'out in the claims.

ln carrying out the inventionfinthe present instance, l provide a light skeletonized struc- 1'5 ture preferably made up of angle bars com* prising a generally triangular base or support with the crane post orstandard fixed rigidlyv thereto and rising therefrom, pivotally supporting a jib, boom or material-lifting devices adapted 'to lswing in a vertical plane haring a constant relationship with'the platiorm or mobile member and the superstructure or standard. The lplatform or mobile member is supported on three ground wheels disposed in general triangular formation so as to provide a three-point support, two of the wheels being arranged in a pair at the sides otthestructure and set-table in variable position by means of a linkage interconnec- 33 tion, The third wheel Awhich is preferably arranged at the rear is also I`variablysettable and the construction is such that the crane as a ywhole can be lused as a turntable around a center within'the wheel base or moved along straight paths at right angles to eachother or swivelled about a center-outside'the wheel base.

The adjustment of the wheels is effected by detachable bar inthe nature of alever'arm 0 which is adapted to positionin sockets v'rigid with the pivotal supports of the wheels, the bar also being employed when desired as va towbarto e'liect bodily and 4pivotal movements of the crane. The invention `i'urth'er comprises novel locking means for positively locking all or" the wheels in predetermined set positions so as to insure movements ofthe crane `whether ltraversing or swivelling in predetermined directions under Aimpulses 5u comimziiicated bythe operator.

The invention be described specifically in detail in 'connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein Fig. l is a sideelevati'on lof the craneor apparatus as a whole.

Fig. -2 is a plan view thereof but with'the standard or superstructure sectioned away.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary front elevation, parts being sectioned away for the sake'of clearness. c

4 is a fragmentary enlarged 4horizontal sectional view taken on a plane indicated bythe sectionline'l-'l-in Fig. 3 andlooking in the direction ot' the arrows at said line and Fig. is anlenlarged sectional viewtakca on a plane indicated' bythe lsection line 5 5 inFig. Zand looking inthe direction of the arrows at said line.

lnlthe drawingsas'clearl'y appears in Figs. 1, 2 and3,theplatii'orm or base frameof the crane is composed of two side members-or angle bars 'l and an end or rear `memberor angle-bar 2.

The bars are disposed in triangular formation and the side bars are secured at their endsto therear barfQ-byigusset plates 3 and Lrivets 'orother suitablemeans beingemployedto fix the parts in rigid relationship. At the'opposite end trom the bar 2 the side bars l are brought close together and secured in fixed relationship'by a castingjor weighted member 6 which is interposed `between the bars and is Aformed with ein-opening indicated at 7 "so as to lhouse certain :parts hereinafter described, the casting being in the nature of a hood.

Rising 'from the base Jframe 1;7 Yis ya superstructure or standard which `may 4be constituted by -our angle bars `8, two fixed as by'angle plates 8fL at'their lower ends to the 4front corner portions `of the platform, and two being'riveted or otherwise iixed to the casting 6. The angle barsS are tied together at their tops sofas to constitute a pair of associate side members or upright triangular frames, these `frames being Apreferably connected by lateral cross pieces or 'bracing 9. The skeleton standard just-clescribedpro vides a support for a .skeleton crane-,jibpr boom, designated asa wholeby thenumeral 10 and shown in Fig. 1. No particular description of the jib is needed as it may oe of any suitable construction. The ib is pivoted to the standard on a horizontal pivot 11 and is restricted to swing in a vertical plane fore and aft of the crane and which bears a constant relationship to the standard and to the platform of the frame. rEhe parts are so related and the weight of the casting 6 is such that the greatest overhang affords stability for the crane as a whole, the casting serving as a convenient counter-weight.

The casting is provided with an eye-member 12 which may serve as an anchorage for the crane jib, it being adapted to be connected to one end of the jib by a chain indicated in Fig. 1 by the numeral 13.

The structure comprising the platform, chassis or truck, the standard, the jib and the load is adapted to be supported on three ground-wheel members constituting a threepoint bearing. Two of these wheel members 14 are mounted in aV pair, being disposed at opposite sides of the base frame at or near its front end, the third wheel member 15 being disposed at the rearand housed within the casting 6 as hereinafter described, said wheel member 15 being preferably in the form of a double wheel or couple.

As will be best understood from Figs. 2-4 each of the wheel members 14 is mounted to rotate on an axle or pivot 16 which extends horizontally from a bearing member 17, said bearing member having an integral vertical portion 18 which is bored out to receive a vvertical pivot or swivel 19 on which the bearing member 18 and the wheel 14 are adapted to turn or rotate for swivelling or adjustable movements.

As will be clearly understood from Figs. 2 and 3 the gusset plates 3 and 4 project beyond the adjacent corners of the base frame and provide suitable upper and lower bearings for the pivot pins 19, said pins being preferably in the form of screw pivots and clamped in place by nuts 20.

Preferably formed integrally with each bearing member 17-18 are two oppositely extending arms 21 and 22 (Fig. 4).

Each arm 22 is formed with an opening indicated at 23 which is adapted to receive a detachable tow-bar or arm 24 terminating in a handle 24L (Fig. 1). The oppositely extending arms 2l each have pivotally connected to them at 25 links 26 which extend inwardV and rearward towards each other through openings or slot-ways indicated at 27 in the front bar 2. The links 26 are pivotally connected at their rear ends at 28 to a slide member constituted by two plates 29 spaced apart and connected by pins or rivets 30 which also constitute pivots for rollers 31. Received between the plates 29 on the slide member is a guide bar 32 which extends lonr gitudinally of the base frame, one end of said bar 32 being suitably secured to the frame bar 2 and the opposite end of the bar 32 being secured as by an angle plate 33 to the upright wall of the casting G. The construction is such that the member or slide constituted by the plates 29 may move freely longitudinally of the guide bar 32, the rollers 31 co-operating with the sides of the guide bar to facilitate such movements. The slide 29, 29 constitutes a connection between the linkages 26 for controlling the movements of the front wheel elements 14. lt will be understood that when swivelling impulses are communicated to one of the wheels 14 as by the operator pushing or pulling on the tow-bar 24, corresponding impulses will be transmitted through the linkages to the other wheel 14 to concurrently adjust it, both wheels swinging on their vertical pivots 19.

ln Fig. 2, two dotted line positions for the pair of wheels 14 are indicated; one at right angles to the full line position for 'traversing the crane transversely, the other dotted line position being an intermediate one for affording swivelling movements about a center within the wheel base; the third wheel 15 being, of course, appropriately adjusted for such movements, as will be understood.

Means are provided for positively locking the front wheels in set or adjusted positions, said means comprising, as clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 5,l a plurality of holes or openings 34 extending transversely down through the bar 32 and disposed at predetermined points therealong. Corresponding holes 35 are formed in the plates 29, and when the holes 35 in the plate and one of the holes 34 in the bar are brought into register they are adapted to receive a locking pin or peg 36 which positively locks the parts together and thus ixes the linkages and locks the wheels 14 in predetermined set positions. This is a highly convenient construction as it enables the operator thereafter to devote his attention exclusively to steering and moving the crane and handling the load carried by The rear double wheel 15 is pivotally supported on a horizontal axle 37 which, as will be understood from Figs. 1 and 2, is supported transversely in a fork 38 having an integral upward extension or pivot 39. The fork 38 and the wheel element 15 are housed within the opening 7 in the hood or casting 6, whereas the pivot 39 bears in an opening in the roof of said casting and has a reduced portion 39a projecting upward outside the casting. The reduced portion receives a twoarmed member 40 which is clamped by a nut 41 against the shoulder at the top of the pivot portion 39.

One arm of the member 40 is formed with an opening or socket 42 adapted to receive the tow bar 24, the oppositely extending arm 40a being flattened and formed with a vertimeans for locking said supports in set positions, said hand-piece being employed both for the adjustment of said supports and for moving said base and parts thereon.

7. A device oit the character described comprising in combination, a mobile base; material-lifting devices thereon; ground-wheel elements for said base; the wheels of said elements being rotatable about horizontal axes, means for variably setting certain of said elements comprising a guide bar on said base, a member' sli-dable longitudinally thereon, and linkages connecting said member to the elements; locking means for the sett-able elements comprising devices or fixing said slidable member on said guide bar in predetermined positions; and a hand bar operative from the ground outside the device to move the slidable member to predetermined position and also to move the device after the slidable member has been iXed in such predetermined position.

8. A device of the character described comprising in combination, a mobile member, material-lifting devices thereon, three-wheel elements supporting said member, said wheel elements being so disposed as tol provide a three-point support, two of said wheel elements being arranged in a pair, the wheels of said elementsbeingrotatable about horizontal axes, means for variably setting said pair about vertical axes comprising a guide bar, a slidable member thereon, andlinkages connesting said slidable member to said pair, and a casting in which the third wheel element is housed and which serves as a counterweight.

9. In a crane, the combination of a truck or chassis comprising two side members and an end member rigidly connected together by gusset plates which project beyond the corner of said members, axle members pivotally mounted on projecting portions of said gusset plates, and ground Wheels rotatably carried by said aille members, said axle members being provided with arms affording connections for linkage controls and with other arms to receive a push or tow-bar.

10. In a crane, thecombination of a horizontal triangular' frame composed of two side members and a third member rigidly connected together by gusset plates which project beyond the corners of said members, swivelling axle members mounted on projecting portions of said gusset plates for movement about vertical axes, two ground wheels having horizontal axes carried by said axle members, said axle members being `provided with arms aiifording connections for linkage controls and with other arms adapted to receive a push or tow-bar, said side members of the frame being tied by a casting providing a bearing, a forked bracket supported in the bearing in said casting for pivotal movement about a vertical axis, and a third ground wheel on said bracket, the forked bracket being provided with a flange adapted to receive said tow-bar.

11. In a crane, the combination of a triangular rame composed of two side members and a third member rigidly connected together, swivelling axle members mounted at the corners of said frame for movement about vertical axes, two ground wheels having horizontal axes carried by two of said axle members, said two axle members being provided with devices atlording connections for linkage controls and with other devices for receiving a detachable tow-bar, a connecting element for the side members of the frame, a third ground wheel mounted on said element for pivotal movements about a vertical axis, and a detachable tow-bar on said olement for steering the crane from outside said frame.

PAUL ALPHONSE HUBERT MOSSAY. 

